No Title
by ladylibra73
Summary: I couldn't think of a title. Stephanie is invited to supper to meet her father's new girlfriend and she invites Carlos to go with her.


No Title

My name is Stephanie Plum and I'm a BEA agent, bounty hunter. I'm sitting in my POS car looking the Rangeman building. I'm debating to go in and ask Ranger to come with me for supper tomorrow night. You see, my dad met this woman. Her name is Sheila. From what I heard from my dad, she is divorced too and she is not from the Burg. She lives in Princeton. Anyway, she invited me for supper and she said I could bring a friend along. That's when I thought of Ranger. I got out of the car and stopped at the gate. The gate opened and I quickly walked to the elevator. It opened and I punched seven. I smiled and waved at the camera. When the elevator stopped and the doors opened, I froze. I walked to the door and knocked. Seconds later, he answered.

"Hey Babe, what's up?"

I walked in.

"I was invited for supper by a friend of my dad's. She told me I can bring a friend along and I thought of you. I was wondering if you wanted to go."

"Sure. When is it?"

"Tomorrow night at seven."

"Ok. Where does she live?"

"Princeton."

"Ok. I will pick you up at six thirty."

"Great, and you don't have to dress up. Casual is good."

"Ok."

"Have a good night." I said walking to the door.

"Night Babe."

I slowly walked out the door. I turned around and stared at the closed door. Ever since Scrog, I've been in love with Ranger. The only thing Ranger doesn't do, is relationships. His life doesn't lend itself to them and his love comes with a condom not a ring. I punched the button for the elevator and walked in. It went all the way down to the basement. I quickly got in my car and raced home. When I got in my apartment, I ran in my bedroom and cried.

I left Rangeman at five. I was so busy with searches, I lost track of time. I quickly got in the shower. When I got out, I wrapped a towel around me and went to my closet. I pulled out a pair of jeans and a red v-neck shirt. I checked myself in the mirror when I heard a knock. It was six fifteen. When I opened the door, I looked at Ranger up and down then up again. He wore a charcoal V Henley sweater with black slacks.

"You look very nice." I said.

"Thank you. So do you."

We stared at each other.

Well, we should go." I said.

"Yes."

It was fairly quiet trip. We made small talk on the twenty five minute drive. Ranger opened the car door for me and helped me out. Sheila opened the door and greeted us.

"Hi Stephanie, so great to see you. Come on in."

"Sheila, I would like you to meet Ranger, a friend of mine."

"So good to meet you." she said shaking his hand. "Please, have a seat. Dinner will be ready in half an hour."

I sat in the loveseat and Ranger sat beside me. Sheila sat in a chair across from us.

"So Stephanie, from what your father told me, you're a bounty hunter."

"Yes."

"How did you get into that?"

"I got laidoff at EE Martin so I needed a job. So I convinced my cousin who works at the Bonds Office to get me a job as a bounty hunter. My first case was my boyfriend now my ex boyfriend Joe Morelli. I didn't have any luck in capturing him, so I needed help. So I asked Connie who works at the Bonds Office I needed help. She referred me to him. He helped me on how to use a gun. Of course, I've been in garbage, I've had car explode."

"Your father told me a little bit about your adventures. Are you two together?"

"No. We're friends."

Just then, I heard the timer going off in the kitchen.

"Excuse me, I will be right back."

"So, what do you think of her?" I asked.

"I think she's very nice. How did your father meet her?" Ranger asked putting his arm on the back of the loveseat. Ranger was lightly rubbing my neck.

"Through a friend. They clicked instantly."

"Do you like her? Do you mind that your father is seeing someone?"

"I like her. I'm glad my dad has moved on. My mom made my dad miserable and he also had enough of listening to her putting me down. Sheila makes him happy."

"Do you think he'll marry again?"

"I don't know. Too early to tell."

"Would that bother you if your father got married again?" Ranger asked taking my hand in his.

"No. I would like to see my father happy again."

"Dinner is ready."

Sheila snapped me back to reality. Ranger helped me up and kept a hold of my hand. He pulled out a chair for me, I sat and he pushed me in. Ranger sat across from me and Sheila sat at the head of the table to my right. Sheila made Chicken and Broccoli. She poured each of us red wine.

"So, Ranger, are you a bounty hunter too?"

"Please call me Carlos. Ranger is a street name. I got it when I was in the Army. I own a company called Rangeman. Yes I have fifteen other guys that work for me there. We provide security for companies and homes. I also have offices in Boston, Atlanta and Miami."

"Wow. When did you start this business?"

"Like I said I was in the Army Special Forces for eight years. I met two guys there and my cousin and we formed Rangeman."

"You're a handsome young man. Are you seeing anyone?"

"No. I met this woman while I was on a break from the Army. We had a night of passion and a few months later, she calls me up and tells me she's pregnant. So we got married and one month after Julie was born, we got a divorce. Julie lives with her mother and stepfather in Miami. Julie is now ten."

"Do you ever get to see her?"

"Yes. Whenever I have business in Miami."

A few minutes I helped Sheila clean the table while Ranger went to use the bathroom. I was putting the dishes in the dishwasher when Sheila spoke.

"He loves you, you know."

"What?"

"I can see true love. Whenever my daughter and her boyfriend come over, I see true love in his eyes. I can tell they are going to be together for a long time."

"We're just friends and besides, his life doesn't lend itself to relationships cause of the work he does. He goes away on missions and sometimes he's gone for a year or more."

"Maybe he decided to not do it anymore. Maybe he now realizes he wants a life with you."

Just then Carlos came in the kitchen.

"Is everything ok?" he asked.

"Yes. Stephanie. The coffee is ready."

I cleared my head and poured coffee in a mug for Carlos.

"Thank you." said Carlos.

I got myself ice creamed with chocolate syrup.

"Go ahead. I will be in there in a few." said Sheila.

When I walked in the dining room, Carlos sat on the other side of the table, beside me.

"How is your coffee?" I asked sitting down.

"Very good."

I took a spoonful of ice cream and closed my eyes.

"I take it the ice cream is good." sais Carlos.

"Mmmm yes."

"Babe. I want to talk to you about something." he said touching my neck.

Just then, Sheila walked in the dining room.

"How is everything?"

"Very good." said Carlos.

I made a thumbs up. We made some more small talk and an hour later we left. On the way back home, Carlos and I made small talk. When we got to my apartment, Ranger parked beside the door. Talk about luck. He walked up with me to my apartment. He went in first.

"It's safe."

I walked in and locked the door.

"So what do you think of Sheila?" I asked.

"She's very nice. I think your father and her will be great together."

"So, would you like coffee, beer, water?"

"I don't need anything. What I want to talk about is us."

"Us. What about us?"

"I was a jerk for leaving that morning and then telling you to fix things with Morelli. I thought I did the right thing, but I didn't. I didn't want to admit to myself that I fell in love with you that morning. Instead of telling you I ran away. I regret saying that my life didn't lend itself to relationships or my love comes with condom and not a ring. I want a life with you Stephanie. I want to marry and have kids with you. Now, I want to know how you feel about me?"

"On the night you were shot by Scrog and as Joe was driving me to the hospital, I told him I loved him, but I love you more. I was so scared I thought you were going to die. I fell in love with you that night." I said as I started to cry. Carlos rubbed the tears away with his thumbs.

"It makes me happy to hear you say that."

His lips came to mine. It was sweet and tender. I broke the kiss.

"I love you." I said.

"I love you too."

This time the kiss intensified. He deepened this kiss as I put my arms around his neck as he rubbed my back down to my ass. We came up for air and Carlos put his forehead on mine.

"God, I want you so bad and it's been too long." said Carlos.

I could only stare.

"There hasn't been anyone in the past three years. You ruined me from all other women."

"You ruined me from all other men."

We kissed again and he was about to take me to my bedroom when his phone vibrated.

"Yo. No you take care of it. I'm offline till noon tomorrow." said Carlos turning off his phone and putting it on the table.

"I'm all yours."

We made love all night long. Finally at 4 am, we fell asleep. I woke up at ten and turned around to find Carlos still asleep. I had to pee so bad. I gently removed Carlos' arm and ran to the bathroom. When I walked out, Carlos was still asleep. I guess our all night workout really tired him out. I noticed something sticking out from Carlos' back pocket. I pulled it out and unfolded it. Carlos started to wake up.

"Morning." I said.

"Morning Babe." Carlos said grabbing me for a kiss.

"I found this in your back pocket."

Carlos sat up against the headboard.

"I was going to tell you about this last night, but we had something else in mind." Carlos said smiling his 1000 watt. "This is my contract from the Government. I decided not to renew because there is special woman in my life. I meant what I last night. I want to marry you and have kids. I'm through with missions. So, will you marry me?"

I smiled.

"Yes I will."

We made love again and a year later, we got married. My father married Sheila and he moved in with her. He got tired of the Burg. My Grandmother moved into my apartment. After our wedding, he took me to Aruba for our honeymoon. Carlos took me to the Batcave In Hunterdon County. It was a two story house made of red brick with white trim. It looked absolutely beautiful. His plan to stay there during the weekend and stay at Rangeman during the week. I couldn't be more happier.


End file.
